Annealing hoods



Nov. 14, 1961 R. KLEFISCH 3,008,700

ANNEALING HOODS Filed May 13, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Irma/rial.

Nov. 14, 1961 R. KLEFISCH ANNEALING HOODS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 13,1957 Inventor.-

United States atent 3,008,700 ANNEALING HOODS Rudolf Klefisch,Siebengehirgsallee 165, Koln- Klettenberg, Germany Filed May 13, 1957,Ser. No. 658,783 Claims priority, application Germany May 15, 1956 10Claims. (Cl. 26349) This invention relates to an open-bottomed annealinghood for annealing materials such as metal sheets. Such hoods aresubjected to considerable stressing due to unequal expansion andmechanical forces. One cause for such stressing which has not hithertobeen mastered is the pressure exerted by the sand located in the sealingpan surrounding the base of the hood on all sides. The buckling of thewalls of the annealing hood resulting therefrom cannot be avoided evenby making these walls from heat-resisting, profiled plates.

The object of the invention is to rectify such demormation of the wallsof the annealing hood between annealing operations and for this purposestraightening shafts are incorporated in the devices for securing thehood in position and also for strengthening it to a considerable extentto prevent buckling. After each or several annealing operations theshafts are turned about their longitudinal axes until they are broughtinto a position with their bent or curved portion directed outwardly,and they then stretch the wall of the hood in outward direction andstraighten it.

An arrangement capable of carrying out this straightening operation ishereinafter described by way of example with reference to theaccompanying drawings, in which FIG. 1 is a perspective view of anannealing hood in which straightening shafts are provided along thelower edges of the two longitudinal walls for returning theselongitudinal walls into a flat state;

FIG. 2 shows, also in perspective view, an annealing hood wherein shaftsin the form of tubes are provided both along the longitudinal walls andalso along the end walls for returning the respective walls into a flatcondition;

FIG. 3 is, in the main, a vertical section through the lower edge of alongitudinal wall of the annealing hood according to FIG. 2, takentransversely to the longitudinal axis of the straightening shaft; thisfigure also shows the sealing pan;

FIG. 4 is a horizontal section through the two straightening shaftsextending one along one longitudinal wall and the other along one endwall, the sectional plane being located through the axes of the twoshafts which consist of tubes, and

FIG. 5 shows an end view of a straightening shaft extending along alongitudinal wall of the annealing along a longitudinal wall of theannealing hood.

In the form of construction of the annealing hood illustrated in FIG. 1,the end walls 1 and the longitudinal walls 2 are each composed of aone-piece profiled, heatresisting steel plate provided with sectionsprojecting outwards from the plane of the plate. On the lower edge ofeach end wall 1, a bar or anchoring member 3, composed of flat iron, isfixed by means of bolts 4. This bar has at its two ends recesses 5serving as bearings for straightening shafts 6.

The shafts 6 located in front of the lower edges of the longitudinalwalls 2 rest in bearings 7 fixed on the longitudinal walls. At least twoabutment rings 8 are provided on each straightening shaft for securingthe shaft in axial direction. In the example illustrated three guiderings 8 are detachably and adjustably fixed on each straightening shaft.The two outer guide rings 8 bear against the two flat bars 3, whereasthe third guide ring bears against one of the bearings 7. Thestraightening shafts 6 are constructed in the form of tubes and providedwith lugs 0r webs 9 which enable the shafts 6 to be turned after theinsertion of a suitable tool. If the straightening shafts 6 are nottubes but consist of solid section rods, each shaft is mostly provided,at least at one end, with an external or internal square or hexagon forengaging a tool serving for turning the straightening shaft.

If, after one or several annealing operations, the longitudinal walls 2of the annealing hood are bent inwards with their straightening shafts6, the shafts are turned through an angle of so that they pull the twolongitudinal walls outwards back into a substantially straight position.At the same time the two flat iron bars 3 and the straightening shafts 6form a union which is capable of eliminating even considerabledeformation in the longitudinal walls of the hood, that is theystraighten the longitudinal walls 2.

In the form of construction of the annealing hood illustrated in FIGS. 2to 5 the profiled plates constituting the end walls 1 and thelongitudinal walls 2 are so constructed that sections 10' projectingfrom the plane of the plate of each side wall are provided with bevels11 which extend to the lower edge of the annealing hood and terminateabove the lower edge thereof so that the lower edges of all the wallsconsist of fiat surfaces.

The straightening shaft 6 extending parallel to these flat lower edgesof the longitudinal walls 2 and also in this case the shafts 12 arrangedin front of the end walls 1 of the annealing hood are accommodated inthe clearance produced by the bevels 11 of the projecting sections 10',that is in front of the flat lower edges of the annealing hood and thebearings 7 for the shafts 6 as well as the bearings 13 for the shafts 12are fixed on the receding surfaces 14 of the projecting sections so thatthey do not project beyond the periphery of the hood.

The bearings 7 and 13 are each in the form of a U-shaped strap opentowards the surfaces of the walls 1 and 2 respectively (see FIG. 3) andfrom one arm 15 of each strap a flange 16 extends which is fixed to thevsurface 14 of the wall by means of bolts 17. The bolts 17 pass throughthe wall 14 of the annealing hood and are provided at their two endswith bearing washers 18 and 19 by means of which the straps are held onthe walls of the annealing hood. The arms 15 of the bearing straps 17are located above the straightening shafts 6 and 12. The lower arm 20 ofeach of the bearing straps 7' and 13 is provided with a claw 21extending beyond and engaging behind the lower edge of the wall surfaceof the annealing hood and with an abutment surface 22 hearing againstthe outer side of the wall surface. The bearing straps 7' and 13 areslipped on to the edge of the annealing hood from below and then fixedon the walls by means of the bolts 17 and washers 18, 19.

At each corner of the annealing hood a connecting or angle piece 23 isprovided for the longitudinal.

straightening shafts 6 abutting at this point with the transversestraightening shafts 12.- This connecting piece which engages the loweredge of the annealing hood by means of a claw 29, has two horizontalbores at right angles to each other for receiving the straighteningshafts straightening tubes 6 on both sides of the annealing hood, whenthe end walls 1 of the annealing hood buckle inwards.

One end of the straightening shafts 6 and 12 always projects outwards atleast as far as the outer end face of the connecting piece 23 and isthere provided with internal recesses in which the correspondingprojections of a tool engage for the purpose of turning thestraightening shafts 6 and 12. The straightening shafts 6 and 12together with their connecting pieces 23 form a frame which is connectedto the lower edge of the annealing hood, each shaft being capable ofstraightening its coordinated wall of the annealing hood merely by beingturned.

In FIG. 3 is illustrated the conventional sealing pan 31, containingsand 32.

I claim:

'1. An annealing hood having an open bottom and a top cover for use witha sealing pan having sand surrounding the open bottom of the hood, thehood having four upwardly-downwardly extending walls formed of one pieceof steel, rotatable straightening shafts carried by the hood outsidethereof and adjacent the lower edges of two opposite walls thereof,anchoring members extending along and connected with the lower edgeportions of the other two opposite walls, the anchoring membersrotatably supporting the ends of the shaft, bearing means secured on theouter lower end portions of the first two opposite walls and disposedadjacent the lower edges of said two walls and intermediate saidanchoring means, said shafts passing through said bearing means, theanchoring means and said shafts forming a frame, the shafts providingbracing means tending to diminish warping of the walls, the turning ofthe shafts in the bearing means tending to straighten the walls shouldwarping have occurred.

2. The hood defined in claim 1, said anchoring means being rigidelements rigidly secured along the lower edge portions of the other twoopposite walls.

3. An annealing hood having an open bottom and a top cover for use witha sealing pan having sand surrounding the open bottom of the hood, thehood having four upwardly-downwardly extending Walls formed of one pieceof steel, rotatable straightening shafts carried by the hood outsidethereof and adjacent the lower edges of two opposite walls thereof,anchoring members extending along and connected with the lower edgeportions of the other two opposite walls, the anchoring membersrotatably supporting the ends of the shaft, bearing means secured on theouter lower end portions of the first two opposite walls and disposedadjacent the lower edges of sa d two walls and intermediate saidanchoring means, said shafts passing through said bearing means, theanchoring means and said shafts forming a frame, the shafts providingbracing means tending to diminish warpmg of the walls, the turning ofthe shafts in the bearing means tending to straighten the walls shouldwarping have occurred, and abutment means rigidly secured to oppositeend portions of said shafts at points adjacent to and between theopposite anchoring means of each shaft, to secure the shafts in axialdirection.

4. An annealing hood having an open bottom and a top cover for use witha sealing pan having sand surrounding the open bottom of the hood, thehood having four upwardly-downwardly extending walls formed of one pieceof steel, rotatable straightening shafts carried by the hood outsidethereof and adjacent the lower edges of two opposite walls thereof,anchoring members extending along and connected with the lower edgeportions of the other two opposite walls, the anchoring membersrotatably supporting the ends of the shaft, bearing means secured on theouter lower end portions of the first two opposite walls and disposedadjacent the lower edges of said two walls and intermediate saidanchoring means, said shafts passing through said bearing means, theanchoring means and said shafts forming a frame, the

shafts providing bracing means tending to diminish warping of the walls,the turning of the shafts in the bearing means tending to straighten thewalls should warping have occurred, and abutment means rigidly securedto opposite end portions of said shafts at points adjacent to andbetween the opposite anchoring means of each shaft, to secure the shaftsin axial direction, an end of each shaft being exposed and shaped toprovide gripping surface for a tool to turn the shaft.

5. An annealing hood having an open bottom and a top cover for use witha sealing pan having sand surrounding the open bottom of the hood, thehood having four upwardly-downwardly extending walls formed of one pieceof ferrous metal, said walls having upwardlydownwardly extendingsections projecting outwardly from the faces of said walls, rotatablestraightening shafts carried by the hood outside thereof and adjacentthe lower edges of two opposite walls thereof, anchoring membersextending along and connected with the lower edge portions of the othertwo opposite walls, the anchoring members rotatably supporting the endsof the shaft, bearing means secured on the outer lower end portions ofthe first two opposite walls and disposed adjacent the lower edges ofsaid two walls and intermediate said anchoring means, said shaftspassing through said bearing means, the anchoring means and said shaftsforming a frame.

6. An annealing hood having an open bottom and a top cover for use witha sealing pan having sand surrounding the open bottom of the hood, thehood having four upwardly-downwardly extending walls formed of one pieceof steel, said walls having upwardly-downwardly extending sectionsprojecting outwardly from recessed face portions of said walls,rotatable straightening shafts carried by the hood outside of andadjacent the lower edges of two opposite walls thereof, anchoringmembers extending along and connected with the lower edge portions ofthe other two opposite walls, the anchoring members rotatably supportingthe ends of the shaft, bearing means carried by the lower edge portionsof the recessed face portions of the first two opposite walls anddisposed adjacent the lower edges of said two walls and intermediatesaid anchoring means, said shafts passing through said bearing means,the anchoring means and said shafts forming a frame.

7. An annealing hood having an open bottom and a top cover for use witha sealing device having sand surrounding the base of the hood, the hoodhaving four upwardly-downwardly extending walls formed of one piece ofsteel, four rotatable straightening shafts carried by the hood outsideof and adjacent the lower edges of said wall, angle pieces rotatablyconnecting the ends of the shafts to form a frame, the angle pieceshaving mutually transverse bores to rotatably receive the shaft ends,and abutment rings rigidly secured to opposite end portions of a pair ofsaid shafts at points adjacent to and between two opposite angle pieces,to secure the said pair of shafts in axial direction, bearing meansrigidly carried by the four walls and disposed adjacent the lower'edgeportions of the four walls, said four shafts passing through saidbearing means.

8. The apparatus defined in claim 7, each angle piece being providedwith a holding means engaging under the lower edge of the said walls, atthe respective corner.

9. An annealing hood having an open bottom and a top cover for use witha sealing pan having sand surrounding the base of the hood, the hoodhaving four upwardly-downwardly extending walls formed of one piece offerrous metal, said walls having four upwardly-downwardly extendingsections projecting outwardly from recessed face portions of said walls,four rotatable straightening shafts carried by the hood outside of andadjacent the lower edges of said wall, four angle pieces rotatablyconnecting the ends of the shafts to form a frame, the angle Pieceshaving bores to rotatably receive the shaft ands; a d ab tment ringsrigidly secured to oppositeend portions of a pair of saidshafts atpoints adjacent to and between two opposite angle pieces, to secure thesaid pair of shafts in axial direction, bearing means carried by theouter lower edge portions of the recessed portions of the four walls,said four shafts passing through said bearing means, an end of eachshaft being shaped to provide gripping surface for a tool to turn saidshaft.

10. An annealing hood having an open bottom and a top cover for use witha sealing pan having sand surrounding the base of the hood, the hoodhaving four upwardly-downwardly extending walls formed of one piece ofsteel, four rotatable straightening shafts carried by the hood outsideof and adjacent the lower edges of said wall, four angle piecesrotatably connecting the ends of the shafts to form a frame, the anglepieces having mutually transverse bores to rotatably receive the shaftends, one of the two shafts connected by each angle piece extending inone of said bores and exposing a shaft end for application of a rotatingtool, the other of said two shafts having an end face disposedtransversely to and adjacent an end portion of said one of the twoshafts, and abutment rings rigidly secured to opposite end portions of apair of said shafts at points adjacent to and between two opposite anglepieces, to secure the said pair of shafts in axial direction, bearingmeans rigidly secured to the outer lower edge portions of the fourWalls, said four shafts passing through said heating means and formingwith said angles a frame disposed about and outward of said walls.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS708,384 McClary Sept. 2, 1902 2,086,972 Wilson July 13, 1937 2,645,472Menough July 14, 1953

